Knitting machine



April 1941- R. H. C ZOLEMAN EIAL 2,237,270

- I KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1959 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG IWITNESSES.- INVENTORS:

ATTORNEYS.

April 9 R. H. COLEMAN ETAL 2,237,270

- KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. '7, 1959 4 Shets-Sheet 2 Y INVENTORS:Robert 57.6012 man 15c 055621, B. Hunt,

A TTORNE YS.

April 1, 1941..

R. H. COLEMAN ETAL KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed D e c.

INVENTORS ift'olzman 25!.

n .D 77% t,

A TTORNEYS.

, Q 4 W1 TNESSES:

April 1, 1941.

R. H. COLEMAN ETAL KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dc. 7, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4FIG 1M:

- WITNESSES: Mam

INVENTO-RSI Roller 3'1. L'oZeman 5c ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 1, 1941 KNITTING MACHINE Robert H. Coleman and Osben D.Hunt, Hickory,

N. (3., assignors of one-fourth to Ernest E. Whisnant and one-fourth toClarence L. Wlrlsnant, both of Hickory, N. 0.

Application December 7, 1939, Serial No. 307,964

13 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines. More specifically, it hasreference to circular knitting machines of the type ordinarily employedin the production of seamless hosiery and the like with ornamentallongitudinal wrap stripes or clocks formed from colored yarns uponpredetermined needles which also take the yarn or yarns from which thebody of the stocking is formed.

Wrap feed mechanisms heretofore designed for ornamental striping inmachines of the kind referred to are highly complicated and thereforecostly in their construction as well as liable to easy derangement; andmoreover in most instances, they are mounted above the needle cylindersof the machines, as a consequence of which access to the tops of thecylinders for threading and other purposes is rendered difficult andtime consuming. In addition .to being complicated, the prior art wrapstriping mechanisms are bulky and heavy, and so require considerableadditional power for their actuation.

The chief aim of our invention is to overcome the above-mentioneddrawbacks, which desideraturn we realize in practice, as hereinaftermore fully disclosed, through provision of a. wrap striping mechanismwhich is of very simple and inexpensive construction, and in which aspindle with a plurality of circumferentially spaced eyes for deliveringas many different striping yarns and arranged substantially at rightangles to the cylinder is rotated in unison with said cylinder, thetiming of the spindle being so ordered that the striping yarns aresuccessively presented to predetermined striping needles located atcorre- In connection with a. wrap striping mechanism having theforegoing attributes, it is a further aim of our invention to providefor the support and .control of the feed spindle in such a manner thatit will be moved out of operative position to interrupt the stripingwhen desired or required, as for example during the knitting of thetops, heels and toes of the stockings, under governance of the usual camdrum of the lmitting machine which determines the behavior of theinterchangeable main yarn feeds.

another object of our invention is to attain all the importantabove-recited advantages in a wrap striping mechanism having the form ofan attachment which lends itself to ready incorporation in standardmakes of circular hosiery knitting machines without entailing anychanges Whatever in their construction or in their normal mode oi!operation Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear fromthe following detailed description of the attached drawings, whereofFig. I is a fragmentary view showing, in side elevation, a circularknitting machine conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in plan section taken as indicated by theangled arrows 11-11 in Fig. I and drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 111 is a vertical section drawn to a still larger scale and takenas indicated by the angled arrows III- II in [1.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary detail view correspond- ,ing to Fig. III but ona larger scale, showing how looking as indicated by the angled arrowsVI-I VII in Fig. IV; and I Fig. VII shows a half-hose stocking with awrap-clock stripe such as may be produced by the machine with ourimproved striping inechanism'.

The circular knitting machine herein illustrated is generally of thewell-known Scott 8: Williams" type arranged for the production ofhalf-hose, its cylinder I carrying an annular series of independentneedles 2, and being revolvably supported in a, bed plate 3 at the topof the machine frame I. The needle cylinder I is rotated in thedirection indicated by the arrows in Figs. II and VII in the usualmanner, by drive'means including a bevel gear 5 on the main shaft Ii ofthe machine. The cams generally indicated at 1 for verticallyreciprocating the needles 2. are supported by a fixed supple-- mentalbed or plate 8 suitably sustained above the main bed plate 3. As iscustomary in modern' hosiery knitters, the machine is provided with aplurality of interchangeable main yarn feeds 9, l0, II and 12, whichoccupy a recess ii in the arm ll of the latch guard ring l5, and

which are independently swingable about a transverse pivot pin It insaid arm, so that they can be individually moved into and out of action.Selection between the main yarn feeds is accomplished, through themedium of individually associated thrust rods whereof one is indicatedat I! in Fig. I, under the control of a cam drum |8 which is turnedthrough a complete revolution for each stocking producing cycle of themachine. The drum I8 is rotatively shifted at intervals, also as wellunderstood, by appropriate means not illustrated, under governance ofthe meas-v uring chain of the machineindicated at l9 in Fig. I. Themachine also has a supplemental cam drum on a shaft 2| which isjournalled in a fixed bracket 22 projecting from the frame 4, said drum2|) being intermittently rotated by a pawl 23 from the main shaft 5 ofthe machine under governance of suitable control mechanism (notillustrated) subject to the measuring chain 9. Pivoted for oscillationabout a stud 24 on the bracket 22, are fingers 25 and 26 which ride camrises on the drum 20, and through connecting links whereof one isshown'at 21, individually perform well-known functions with which thepresent invention is not directly concerned. For

the purpose of selecting predetermined needles and raising them to ahigher level above the remaining needles for striping, the machine isfurther provided with design pattern mechanism which is comprehensivelydesignated 28 in Fig. I, and which includes a vertical axis drum 29 withcircumferential grooves for interchangeable pattern determining jacks(not shown). This needle selecting mechanism may be of the constructiondisclosed in U. S. Pattern No. 1,906,204 granted to A. E. Page on April25, 1933, to which reference may be had for details if necessary.

The wrap striping attachment or mechanism of our invention, as hereindelineated, comprises an auxiliary feed 30 which is positioned amongstthe main yarn feeds 9-|2 and connected to or integrally formed at theinner end of a spindle 3| whereof the axis extends substantially atright angles to the needle cylinder at the level of the tops of theelevated striping needles 2a (see Fig. III) and reaches outward from apoint immediately adjacent the needle circle, said spindle being whollyexternal to said needle circle.

As shown, the outer diametrically enlarged end 3|a of the spindle 3| isjournalled for rotation in a bearing 32 pivotally supported by a pair ofpointed screw studs 33 and 34 in the opposite sides of a yoke member 35.This yoke member stud 48 on a lateral projection 48 at the top of theyoke 35, serves to normally hold the feed 38 down in its operativeposition with the outer end of said bearing abutting the bottom end ofa. stop pin 58 adjustable in said projection 48.

The means for rotating the auxiliary feed 38 in unison with the needlecylinder in the direction indicated by the arrow above it in Fig. VIIinvolves a system of gearing. As shown in Figs. II and III, this gearingincludes a bevel gear pinion 5| which drives an intermeshing gear 52 onthe spindle 3| and which is mounted for free rotation about a lateralcylindric bearing boss 53 on the yoke in axial alignment with the pivotstuds 33 and 34. For its further support, the pinion 5| is secured to ashaft 54 whereof the outer end is fixed in a sleeve 55 whereof thelaterally-projecting screw shank 56 is engaged in a small'bracket 51 onthe yarn tree post 58 of the knitting machine. This arrangement permitsthe lateral adjustment of the pivot for the yoke 35 for the purposealready explained.

In order that the sleeve 55 may be securedv against displacement afteradjustment, the screw shank 56 of said sleeve is fitted with a pair'ofjam nuts 59 and 60. Mounted on a rearward collar extension 6| of thegear pinion 5| is a sprocket wheel 62, which, by means of a chain 63, isconnected to a sprocket wheel 64 on a shaft 65 extending radially of theneedle cylinder (see Fig. '11) and forming an original part of theknitting machine. Also mounted on the shaft 65 is a bevel gear 66 inmesh with abevel pinion .61: on a vertical shaft 68 which passes down 35has an internally threaded pendant shank 36 engaged by the threadedupper end of a supporting rod 31 which has a boss at its bottom endembracing the stud 24 on the bracket 22. By virtue of this arrangement,the bearing 32 may be adjusted vertically in setting upthe wrap stripingmechanism initially or afterwards as may be required, the adjustmentbeing fixable by spindle 3|.

through the bed plates 8 and 3, and is rotated by suitable connections(not shown) from the drive mechanism of .the machine. The last describedconnections are like those disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,237,256granted'to Robert W. Scott on August 14, 1917. As illustrated in Figs.III, IV, and VII, the auxiliary feed has the form of a fork withdiametrically arranged tubular tynes or prongs 69, 69' symmetricallydisposed with respect to the axis of the spindle 3|, which constituteguide eyes'for delivering individual striping yarns W, W. The yarns W, Ware respectively supplied from bobbins B, B carried by a mounting in theform of disk 10 on the spindle 3|, the bobbins being protected withinenclosing cylindric casings of transparent material with telescopingparts ll, 12 and 13, 14 which are carried respectively by said disk anda cross member 15 secured by a screw 16 to the outer end of the Alsosupported by the disk 18 are slack take-up fingers 11, 78 which aresubject to springs 19, 88 and which jointly, with spring tensions 8| and82 at the ends of said cross means of a jam nut shown at 38. A strut ortie bar 39 is employed to secure the yoke 36 against movement about thestud 24. From Figs. I and III, it will be observed that the strut bar 39is connected at one end by a screw 48, to a post 4| whereon the latchring 5 of the machine is pivoted, while its other end is slotted as at42 for passage of the shank or a cap screw 43 which engages intoone sideof an upward extension 45 of the yoke member 35. vision of the slot 42in the strut bar 38, it is possible to accurately adjust the auxiliary,fed

30 toward and away from the needle circle. A spring 46 in tensionbetween an anchorage 41 at the outer end of the bearing 32 and a screwDue to the promember, respectively control the striping yarns -W, W. Enroute from the bobbins 3,3, the

wrap stripe yarns'W, W first pass to the tensions 8|, 82 respectively,then around guide studs 83, 84 (Fig. V), then through openings 85, 86 inthe cross member 15, then through the hooks of the-take-ups 11, 18, thenthrough guide tubes orducts 81, 88 longitudinally recessed into thespindle 3|, and finally emerge from the eyes 69, 69 of the feed 30.

Any suitable means may be provided to lift.

the auxiliary feed 38 out of action when desired or required, as duringthe knitting of the garter top G of each stocking S (Fig. VIII) as wellas during the knitting of the heel H, the rear part is actuated byappropriately allocated rises (not shown) on the control drum l8, andwhich at its upper end is operatively connected, by a short link 9|,with a laterally projecting arm 92 on the bearing 32 for the spindle 3|.

Fixedly supported within the cylinder l at a level slightly below thenormal upper level of the needle tops by a bracket 93 reaching inwardfrom the latch guard ring I5, is a substantially circular plate 94 (seeFigs. I and III), which ordinarily supports the means (not shown) forclamping and severing the main yarns as the latter are withdrawn fromaction. At the region directly opposite the feeds IO-I2 and 30, theplate 94 is formed, in accordance with our invention, with an angularcam recess or notch for guiding and deflecting the wrap stripe yarns W,W, beneath said plate so that they are prevented from entangling with orwrapping around the clamping and severing means.

Assuming the pattern controlling mechanism 28 of the machine arranged todetermine lifting variant numbers of needles above the others atdiametrically opposite points in the cylinder I for the purpose ofproducing in the body portion of the stockings clock stripes atcorresponding points such as shown at C in Fig. VIII, the operation ofour invention is as follows:

As the cylinder rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. II, thehook of the raised stripin Fig. VII, said yarn being anchored in thefabric at the point P (Figs. III, IV and VII) by the loop formed on saidneedle during the knitting of the preceding course. As the needlecylinder l continues in its rotation, the yarn W is wrapped about theneedle 2a in the manner clearly shown in Figs. II, IV and VII, the otherstriping yarn W being anchored at the other side of the fabric, andbeing positioned at this time above the raised needle 2a and is therefore not taken by said needle. of the placement of the striping yarn Whigh on the shank of the needle 2a above the main As a consequence aboutthe pivot screws 33, 34 under the control of the drum l1 and held out ofoperation until the completion of the heel when it is again re- 15,swinging of said spindle.

yarn M delivered at this time by the main feed H, the loops ultimatelyformed from said striping yarn by said needle Zgrwill appear at the faceof the fabric in the narrow portion of the clock stripe C in Fig. VIII.Later during the same rotation of the needle cylinder, the wrap yam Wwill be deflected as it encounters the edge 94a of the notch in theplate 94 and be dehave turned through a half revolution, so that theother striping yarn W is placed in a position to be taken by said needle2b. The variationsproduced in the striping as the knitting continues,course after course, are determined by increases and decreases in thenumber of needles raised at opposite sides of the cylinder to take thestriping yarns in accordance with the pre-arrangement of the jacks inthe pattern drum 29 in a manner which will be readily understood bythose skilled in the striping art. Just prior to the knitting of theheel portion H of the stocking, the auxa changed since the gear wheel iscoaxial with the pivot about which said spindle swings and moreover,since the drive relation between the spindle and the needle cylinder Iis maintained by the sprocket chain which will readily flex withoutbecoming detached from its sprockets during the It is further pointedout that through the unison rotation of the spindle 3| with the needlecylinder I, the wrap yarns W, W willnot twist about-each other, andmoreover during idling of this feed, the floats of said yarns willclosely follow the opposite sides of the cylinder between the points ofcompletion of the stripes in one stocking blank to the beginning of thestripes in a succeeding stocking blank. It'- also follows, for the samereasons that. the floats of the striping yarns will not become entangledwith the floats of the splicing yarns which are used to reinforce thehigh heels and the soles of the stockings.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that we have provided a wrapstriping mechanism for circular knitting machines which is unique, notonly from the standpoint of its simplicity, freedom from the possibilityof easy derangement and its inexpensive construction, but in that it isapplicable to standard makes of knitting ma chines without requiringstructural changes in them or interfering with their normal mode ofoperation.

Throughout this specification, we use the term stripes to include clocksas only a special kind of stripe.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a knitting machine having .a rotating cylinder with an annularseries of independent needles, driving means for the cylinder, a feedfor delivering a main yarn to all the needles, and means for selectingpredetermined single needles or groups of them for striping atcircumferentially spaced points in the cylinder and causing them totravel at a level above the remaining needles as they approach the feedpoint; wrap striping mechanism including an auxiliary feed in the formof a spindle disposed substantially at right angles to the cylinder andwholly external to the groups of selected striping needles and which areequidistant from the spindle axis, and means for rotating the auxiliaryfeed in unison with the needle cylinder so that the respective stripingyarns are successively taken by the single or group striping needles asthe cylinder rotates.

2. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1, further includingcontrol means for. automatically moving the striping yarn feed out ofoperative position relative to the needles when the striping is to besuspended.

3. A knitting machine according to claim'l, wherein the spindle of thewrap stripingfeed is journal-led on a pivotally supported bearing; andwhereon control means is provided for swinging iliary feed 30 isautomatically swung upward 75 the striping feed about its pivotalsupport tomo ve itout of operative position relative to the needles whenthe striping is to be suspended.

4. A knitting machine with Wrap striping mechanism according to claim 1,wherein the spindle of the striping yarn feed has a mounting at theouter end of said shank carrying supply bobbins for the respectivesingle or group striping yarns, together with tensions and take-ups forthe individual striping yarns.

5. A knitting machine with wrap striping mechanism according to claim 1,wherein the spindle of the striping feed is journalled in a movable*that the striping feed may be moved as aforesaid support for movementout of operative relation is journalled in a pivoted bearing to enableretraction of the striping yarn feed from its operative positionrelative to the needles when the striping is to be suspended; andwherein the spindle is rotated from the cylinder drive means 'throughinterposed gearing which includes a wheel rotatably mounted coaxially ofthe bearing pivot, so thatthe striping feed may be moved as aforesaidwithout attendant change in its timing.

7. A knitting machine with wrap striping mechanism according to 'claim1,. wherein the wrap striping feed is located amongst the main yarnfeeds so that the main yarn or yarns and the striping yarns are taken bythe striping needles at substantially the same time as said stripingyarns.

8. A knitting machine with wrap striping mechanism according to claim 1,wherein the spindle is journalled in a pivoted bearing to enableretraction of the striping yarn feed from its operative positionrelative to the needles when the striping is to be suspended; whereinthe spindle is rotated from the cylinder drive means through interposedgearing which includes a wheel rotatably mounted coaxially of thebearing pivot, so that the striping feed may be moved as aforesaidwithout attendant change in its timing; and wherein means is providedfor adjusting the pivot for the bearing vertically to accuratelyposition the delivery end of the striping yarn feed relative to the topsof thelstriping needles.

9. A knitting machine with wrap striping mechanism according to claim 1,wherein the spindle is journalled in a pivoted bearing to enableretraction of the striping yarn feed from its operative positionrelative to the needles when the striping is to be suspended; whereinthe spindle is rotated from the cylinder drive means through interposedgearing which includes a wheel rotatably mounted coaxially of thebearing pivot, so

without attendant change in its timing; and wherein means is providedfor adjusting the pivot for the bearing laterally of the cylinder toaccurately position the delivery end of the striping yarn feed relativeto the needle circle.

10. In a hosiery knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with anannular series, ofindependent needles, a feed for delivering a main yarnto all the needles, and means for selecting predeterminedneedles forclock striping at.diametrically opposite points in the cylinder andcausing them to travel at a level above the remaining needles as theyapproach the feed point; wrap striping mechanism including an auxiliaryrotary I feed in the form of 'a spindle disposed substantiallyat rightangles to the cylinder, the delivery end of said spindle being forked toprovide diametrically spaced guides for delivering two differentstriping yarns, and means for rotating the spindle in unison with thecylinder so that the respective striping yarns are successively taken bythe corresponding striping needles as the cy-linder rotates.

11. A knitting machine with wrap striping mechanism according to claim1, in which the feeding end of the spindle is of forked configurationand in which the tynes or prongs of the fork constitute the guide eyesfor the respective striping yarns.

12. A knitting machine with wrap striping mechanism according to claim1, in which the spindle has longitudinal ducts for passage of theindividual striping yarns, and a forked feed end whereof the prongs ortynes are tubular and constitute the guide eyes for the respectivestriping yarns.

13. In a circular knitting machine for producing wrap stripes, thecombination of a rotating needle cylinder and a main yarn feed, with aplurality of annularly arranged bobbins for individual striping yarnsmounted to one side of said needle cylinder which are caused to rotatein synchronism therewith about'an axis in substantially perpendicularrelation to the needle cylinder, a correspondingly arranged series offeed eyes, one for each of said bobbins, which are also caused to rotatein said synchronism around said J axis, the feed eyes when in feedingposition being always outside the projected cylinder defined by theneedles, and means to project selected single striping needles or groupsof them from said needle cylinder at circumferentially spaced points toa position to successively receive the striping yarns, which, afterhaving been caught by said needles, are wrapped around them for repeatedknitting by the rotation of the needle cylinder alone.

ROBERT H. COLEMAN. OSBEN D. HUNT.

